Badass Braids

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Text and photographs on pages 42, 47, 88, 104, 134, 140, 150, 156 © 2018 by Shannon Burns
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FROM Vikings TO Game of Thrones
45 MAVERICK BRAIDS, BUNS,

AND TWISTS FOR SCI-FI AND
FANTASY FANATICS
SHANNON
BURNS
CREATOR AND HOST OF THE
POPULAR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Silvousplaits
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Contents
Introduction ....................................... 7 Mary Queen of Scots, Inspired by Reign ......61
Styling Tools & Tricks ........................ 9 Lucrezia Borgia, Inspired by The Borgias......65
Elizabeth of York, Inspired by
Basic Braids ....................................... 15
The White Princess ....................................69
Chapter 1: Ancient Adversaries ......... 21
Atia of the Julii, Inspired by Rome ...............23 Chapter 4: Romantic Renegades ........ 73
Gannicus, Inspired by Vanessa Ives, Inspired by Penny Dreadful .....75
Spartacus: War of the Damned ...................27 Charles Vane, Inspired by Black Sails ...........79
Gorgo Queen of Sparta, Inspired by 300 .....29 Jenny Murray, Inspired by Outlander ...........81
Lucretia, Inspired by Max, Inspired by Black Sails ........................85
Spartacus: Blood and Sand ........................33 Lizzy Bennet, Inspired by
Pride and Prejudice ...................................89
Chapter 2: Viking Warriors ............... 37
Uhtred of Bebbanburg, Chapter 5: Fierce Fantasy ................. 93
Inspired by The Last Kingdom ..................39 Emma Swan, Inspired by
Kwenthrith, Queen of Mercia Inspired by Once Upon a Time....................................95
Vikings ........................................................43 Margaery Tyrell, Inspired by
Ragnar Lothbrok, Inspired by Vikings .........45 Game of Thrones .......................................99
Torvi, Inspired by Vikings ............................49 Diana Prince, Inspired by
Lagertha, Inspired by Vikings.......................53 Wonder Woman ......................................101
Legolas, Inspired by
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Chapter 3: Renaissance Royals .......... 57 The Lord of the Rings ..............................105

Anne Boleyn, Inspired by The Tudors ..........59 Morgana Pendragon, Inspired by Merlin....107

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Daenerys Targaryen, Inspired by Padmé Amidala, Inspired by
Game of Thrones .....................................111 Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith ..................151
Éowyn, Inspired by Katniss Everdeen, Inspired by
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers ....115 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay ..............153
Tauriel, Inspired by The Hobbit .................117 Octavia Blake, Inspired by The 100 ...........157
Cersei Lannister, Inspired by Deanna Troi, Inspired by
Game of Thrones .....................................121 Star Trek: The Next Generation ...............161
Eretria, Inspired by
The Shannara Chronicles ........................125 Chapter 7: Animated Adventurists ... 165
Sansa Stark, Inspired by Usagi Tsukino, Inspired by Sailor Moon .....167
Game of Thrones .....................................129 Zelda, Inspired by
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess .....169
Chapter 6: Sci-Fi Heroines ............... 133 Katara, Inspired by
Rey, Inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender .....................173
Star Wars: The Force Awakens..................135 Evie Frye, Inspired by Assassin’s Creed.........177
Gamora, Inspired by Astrid Hofferson, Inspired by
Guardians of the Galaxy ..........................137 How to Train Your Dragon 2 ...................179
Cressida, Inspired by Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, Inspired by
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay ..............141 Final Fantasy ..........................................183
Leia Organa, Inspired by Aloy, Inspired by Horizon Zero Dawn ........187
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back..........145
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Maeve Millay, Inspired by Westworld .........147 Acknowledgments .............................191

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{ Introduction }
Welcome to Badass Braids, your ultimate guide
to fantasy and sci-fi hairstyling!
From the gladiator ring to the courts of movies, including Game of Thrones, Outlander,
Renaissance queens, from the lands of Middle- Lord of the Rings, and The Hunger Games.
earth to a galaxy far, far away, the creativity Originally I began doing it just for my own
displayed by today’s costume dramas—in film amusement, but when I created my Silvousplaits
and television—is simply amazing. Their strong YouTube channel and started posting tutorials for
characters and richly crafted worlds have inspired all to see, I discovered how much fun it was to
massive followings, and lots of people want to share my passion for hairstyling with others.
bring a bit of otherworldliness into their daily This book is the culmination of that
lives. One simple and powerful way to do so is to process, offering 45 of my favorite hairstyles
duplicate the characters’ hairstyles, and that’s my from several popular and geeky movies, shows,
goal with this book: to teach you how to recreate and video games—all presented with the DIY
the best hairstyles from your favorite shows and stylist in mind. The styles are arranged by genre
movies on yourself and others. into separate chapters, each of which features
I have always loved hairstyling because the hairstyles for a variety of hair lengths, textures,
possibilities are endless and it gives you so much and skill levels. Step-by-step instructions and
confidence. At the same time, I’m a big nerd. For illustrations will teach you how to achieve
the last several years I have studied and replicated these looks on yourself, and behind-the-scenes
the hairstyles in my favorite TV shows and information from show stylists will shed light
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on how the hairstyles were developed, including My philosophy is that hairstyling is an art
how they evolve with the character and which form you can wear, enabling you to transform
historical techniques and tools they incorporate. yourself and even be a whole new person for a
Fantasy and sci-fi hairstyling is not your everyday day. By following the instructions in this book,
“ponytail and go” sort of approach to hair, so the you’ll be able to elevate your personal style and
book begins with an introduction to the styling channel the essence of some of the most badass
tools you’ll need and simple instructions for heroes and heroines from fiction and history.
the types of braids used to achieve these looks.
Read this section first. Once you master the Have fun!
fundamentals, you will be ready to create some
awesome hairstyles!
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{ Styling Tools }
& Tricks
Here are the basic materials you will need to create the styles in this book. Many
of them will work for all hair types, but depending on the thickness and length
of your hair, you may need to rely more on certain materials and products.
Hairbrushes & Combs Hair Clips

The most basic hairstyling tools. If you have a head Many of the styles in this book require you to
of hair, you likely own a brush or comb. Combs section your hair in various ways. To hold these
are best for smoothing out hair and for precision sections separate while you work, you’ll need some
work, but they tend to make tangles worse by hair clips. My favorite are duck-bill clips, because
pushing them together into a tight knot. Brushes, they’re easy to insert. You can also use claw clips for
on the other hand, are best for detangling. The added grip.
softer the bristles, the gentler the brush will be, but
beware: this also means the hair will take longer Rattail Comb
to detangle. Boar bristle brushes are also popular, Rattail combs, or teasing combs, have a dual
as the natural fibers redistribute scalp oils to make purpose: the thin, tightly packed teeth enable you
your hair shinier. to tease hair effectively, while the pointed end of
the comb can be used as a sectioning tool. To make
Hair Tip
nice and straight sections in your hair, simply place
the pointed end against your scalp and draw a line
where you want the section to be.
My favorite everyday brush is called the Tangle
Teezer, which has an ergonomic hold and
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can cross two bobby pins in an X shape. Note that
Hair Tip the flat top of the bobby pin should face outward,
allowing the wavy part to scoop up hair as you slide
it along your scalp. Generally, you want to hide
To tease hair, lift the section you want to
your bobby pins for a nice clean look, so slide them
tease and hold the rattail comb behind it
underneath braids and buns.
at a 45-degree angle. Push the teeth into
the hair a few inches above your scalp and Some related tools include spin pins and
comb down toward the scalp in short, quick U-shaped hair pins. Spin pins are modern
strokes. Do this several times to build up a corkscrew-like inventions that stay positioned
fluffy base of hair at the roots and provide better—especially in thick hair—when they are
more volume to hairstyles. For the most rotated into a bun or other updo. U-shaped hair
dramatic results, repeat this on 1- to 2-inch-
pins have been around much longer and can hold
thick (2.5 to 5 cm) sections of hair and use
hairspray on the roots before teasing. bigger sections of hair than the smaller bobby pins.
Once you master bobby pins, you can practice
using these.
Hair Elastics
Hair elastics come in many sizes and colors, as well Topsy Tail
as a variety of materials, such as rubber or fabric. A topsy tail is a simple plastic device that works
It’s useful to have a variety of sizes, colors, and like a giant needle and is used to flip ponytails
materials on hand. Small and clear elastics are good inside out or to weave one section of hair through
for the ends of braids, particularly when you want another. To use it, simply thread a section of hair
to hide the braid end underneath a bun. Large, soft- through the large hole in the topsy tail, then use
surfaced hair elastics are better for making ponytails the pointed end to push the topsy tail through
with big sections of hair, since these elastics are whatever hair you want to weave through (e.g.,
easier to remove without snagging the hair elastics. under a hair elastic or through the strands of
For added comfort, elastic ribbon ties are also another braid). When you pull the topsy tail out
available, as well as a telephone-cord-like tie called the other side, the section of hair you threaded
Invisibobble, which leaves no ponytail crease! through the hole comes with it. Topsy tails can be
bought online very cheaply.
Hair Pins
Bobby pins are really useful for getting hair to stay Hair Beads
in whatever position you want it. When you make Hair beads have been used for millennia all around
buns, twists, and generally any shape that involves the world, and they are incorporated into many
defying gravity, bobby pins will usually be involved. styles on the screen today. You can buy dedicated
You can use these to attach one section of hair to hair beads that are high quality and artistic, but in a
another place on the head, and for extra hold, you pinch, you can also use any sort of crafting bead.
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There are many ways to use hair beads, but
I generally use them as decoration on top of hair Hair Tip
elastics that are already holding twists and braids
together. Slide the bead onto the hair either by
If you’re buying your own extensions, I
wetting the hair ends and poking them through the
recommend getting real hair if you can
bead hole, or by using a loop of thread to pull the afford it. (Fake hair is often noticeably
hair through the hole, like a makeshift topsy tail. To different in texture when mixed in with
keep the bead in place, slide it up high enough so your own hair.)
that it is very tight on the hair, or slide it on top of
a small hair elastic, which provides enough friction
to hold it in place.
Hair Inserts
Hair inserts come in a wide variety of sizes and
Hair Extensions are meant to help give volume to updos, so you
For much of history, it’s been fashionable to have don’t have to use any of your own limited hair to
long, voluminous hair, and today is no different. create the basic hairstyle structure. Many people are
This is why many hairstyles in television and film familiar with the foam rings known as hair donuts.
require actors to wear extensions, which add length You can also get roll shapes (either by buying a hair
and thickness. Extensions are exceptionally useful if roll or by cutting a hair donut in half ), small hair
your hair is on the fine or thin side and you’re going bumps for just a little added volume, and bigger
for a screen-accurate look. beehive inserts that are shaped like a ball. These
Most extensions are either clip-in or free accessories are available all over the internet from
hanging. Clip-in extensions can be secured to the many retailers, so just use these terms as keywords
roots of your own hair or to hair inserts. Free- to search!
hanging extensions can be twisted or braided into
separate hair pieces and then pinned to your head.
Many retail companies sell hair extensions, so search
online to find a set that has good reviews and fits
Hair Tip
your budget. It’s best to buy extensions that are as
close a match to your own hair color as possible. If Don’t have any hair inserts? You can make your
you can’t find your color—shout-out to my fellow own! Simply ball up some cheap hair extensions,
manipulate them into the shape you want, and
redheads, it’s a struggle—buy blonde extensions and
then secure them all together with a hairnet. You
then ask a stylist to color them for you.
can even use hair collected from your hairbrush
(which is what women did historically).
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Sprays & Serums Heat Tools
There are probably a million and a half different Heat tools are really useful whenever you want to
styling products out there, but most fall into a few change your hair’s basic shape—either by curling,
categories based on their function. In our case, the crimping, or straightening. For curling, you can
most useful products are hairsprays and texture use a curling iron (which has a metal clamp to keep
sprays. Hairspray holds hair in whatever position your hair attached to the iron), a curling wand
you need but is sticky until it dries. You can use it (no metal clamp), or hot rollers that you heat up
before curling your hair so the shape holds better or separately and then place in your hair. If you wrap
to keep a look in place at the end of styling. Texture smaller sections of hair around a curling tool and
sprays go on dry, and they give your hair more keep them there for a longer period of time, the curl
grip, which is helpful when making loose braids or will last longer, but beware: more heat equals more
fluffed-out twists that are otherwise prone to falling hair damage.
out. Texture sprays are a major help for people with Crimping irons are great for putting micro
slippery hair! texture in your hair, which improves its grip and
Other products you’ll want to have on hand are volume. For those of you with fine or thin hair who
a heat protectant (in case you’re using heat tools), as don’t want to use extensions, the added volume that
well as shine spray and/or pomade. Shine sprays are crimping provides is quite astounding!
usually used before styling to make frizzy hair more For those with naturally textured hair who
manageable, but they can also go on at the end as a want a smoother look, a straightening iron or
finishing touch. Pomades are helpful for smoothing straightening brush makes the hair straighter until
down sections of hair before braiding or after your next wash. Take one small, flat section of hair
the style is finished to create a sleek look. Don’t at a time, and slowly run the straightening tool
be afraid to be creative and experiment with the down the length. You may need to do a couple of
products you try and at what point in the styling passes to achieve the desired look.
pipeline you use them!
Hair Tip
Rub pomade on your hands before

you start braiding to limit “braid
shred” (all those little hairs that stick
out of finished braids). s
c
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Hair Tip
Remember that heat is damaging to your hair,

so don’t apply it too often, and always use a heat
protectant product first! If you want curly hair
without the heat, there are a myriad of heatless
curling methods out there that generally involve
rolling damp hair in a curl shape and letting it
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{ Basic Braids }
This book involves a lot of braiding, so you’ll need to learn a few basic types
of braids in order to complete these hairstyles. The easier braids shouldn’t
take you very long to master. The more complex ones will require some
practice to remember which strands go where, in what order, and how to
most effectively position the strands in your fingers.
English Braid
The English braid is just the fancy name for a
normal three-strand braid. After splitting your hair
into three strands, weave one of the outer strands
over the middle one, so the two switch places. Then
weave the outer strand on the opposite side over the
middle one, so it becomes the new middle strand.
Continue this alternating pattern to the ends of
your hair.
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French Braid Dutch Braid
The French braid uses the same alternating pattern Like the French braid, the Dutch braid is another
as the English braid, where you take turns weaving three-strand braid that involves adding in new hair
the outer strands over the middle one. The big to each outer strand before weaving. The difference
difference is that before each outer strand is woven is that the outer strands are woven under the middle
over the middle, more hair is added to the strand, strand instead of over, making the braid look as if
making it bigger. it’s sitting on top of your head.
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Lace Braid Waterfall Braid
For a lace braid, new hair is added only on one side A waterfall braid is basically the opposite of a lace
of the braid, meaning that if new hair is added to braid, in that before you weave each outer strand
the left-hand strand, no new hair is added to the over the middle, you remove some hair from the
right-hand strand. Lace braids can be done in either strand and let that hair fall away. You’ll also need
a French variation (outer strands weaving over the to add hair to waterfall braids if you don’t want
middle) or a Dutch variation (outer strands weaving the braid to run out of hair. Two ways of doing so
under the middle). involve (1) adding in hair to strands on one side of
the braid and removing hair from strands on the
other side, and (2) removing hair and then adding
in new hair to each of the outer strands in turn.
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Rope Braid Fishtail Braid
Rope braids involve just two strands of hair. To To begin this braid, divide your hair in half. Break
get them to hold together, you must first twist the off a little bit of hair from the outside of one half,
individual strands in one direction, and then twist bring it over, and add it to the inside of the other
them around each other in the opposite direction. half of hair. Then break off some hair from the
I find it easiest to make rope braids by twisting one outside of the other half and add it to the inside of
strand individually a couple of times, twisting the the first half. Repeat this alternating pattern for the
two strands together in the opposite direction 180 length of the braid. French or lace variations of the
degrees, twisting the other strand individually a fishtail braid can be done as well, and the Dutch
couple of times, doing another half twist with the fishtail involves weaving the little bits of hair from
two strands, and so on. You can do French and lace the outside underneath the braid instead of over it.
versions of the rope braid, too—just add new hair
to both strands (French) or only to one strand (lace)
every time you twist them together.
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Knot Braid Four- & Five-Strand Braids
When knot braiding, just think macramé—making There are a few different types of four- and five-
knots with your hair! It might sound scary at first, strand braids. In this book we’ll be using the
but remember that hair is quite elastic. (If you tie traverse variation, in which one outer strand
sections of hair into a knot, it’s pretty easy to loosen “traverses” its way through the other strands and
them again.) There are many different kinds of then ends up as the outer strand on the other side
knot braids, but the kind used in this book is the of the braid. To start, separate your hair into four
simplest version, in which you take one strand of or five strands. Weave the outermost strand on one
hair and tie it into a square knot around another side of the braid over the next strand, under the
strand. Tighten this knot, and repeat. following strand, over the one after that, and so
on until it is on the opposite side of the braid. Go
back to the first side of the braid again, take the
new outermost strand, and weave it over, under,
and over the other strands. Repeat this for the entire
length of the braid.
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CHAPTER 1
Ancient
Adversaries
H
ow one’s hair was styled was an important indication of status in
Ancient Rome and Greece. In this chapter we will be recreating the
hairstyles of characters from the historical drama series Rome and
Spartacus, as well as the Frank Miller–inspired film 300. In the latter we find
Gorgo, Queen of Sparta, helping to rally 300 Spartans into taking arms against
the ruthless Persian king Xerxes and his army of 300,000 in 478 BCE. Rome,
which aired on HBO from 2005 to 2007, centers on the exciting period of
first-century BCE Roman history as the republic transformed into a vast empire.
Among the power players in this Emmy Award–winning drama is Julius Caesar’s
niece Atia of the Julii, a conniving noblewoman who competes with Cleopatra
for the affections of Mark Antony. Spartacus, which aired on Starz between 2010
and 2013, is based on the story of the historical Thracian gladiator who led slaves
in a massive uprising against their Roman captors from 73 to 71 BCE. One of
Spartacus’s generals in the rebellion is the Celtic ex-gladiator Gannicus. On the
other side of the conflict is Lucretia, a femme fatale like Rome’s Atia who carries
on an affair with an enslaved Gallic gladiator and murders her political enemies.
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Inspired by
Rome
Atia of the Julii
Played by English actress Polly Walker, the character of Atia is (very loosely)
based on Julius Caesar’s actual niece, the pious Atia Balba (85–43 BCE), who
became the mother of Rome’s first emperor, Augustus. However, interviews
with the series creators reveal that Atia of the Julii’s character takes more
inspiration from the highly educated—and extremely scandalous—Roman
noblewoman-poet Clodia Metelli (born ca. 95 BCE). A notorious drinker
and gambler, Clodia had numerous extramarital affairs, taking slaves and
married men as lovers. Nicknamed Medea of the Palatine by Cicero (in
reference to the legendary sorceress who murdered her own children), Clodia
was even suspected of poisoning her husband in 59 BCE.
Here, we learn to recreate one of the hairstyles the fictional Atia wears
for her ostentatious parties aimed at currying favor with Caesar.
SKILL LEVEL: Easy MATERIALS NEEDED:

TIME: 15 minutes 18-inch-plus (45 cm) hair extensions
1 large hair elastic
Bobby pins
1 small, clear hair elastic
Curling iron
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1.Gather up the hair at the crown and tie it 2.English-braid the hair extension, and then
into a ponytail. pin it to the head so that it wraps over
the top of the head and the ends meet
underneath the ponytail.
{ DID YOU KNOW?

Greek women would often use intricate wraps and
netting to secure their hair up on their heads, and
Roman women had specially trained slaves called
ornatrices who spent a great deal of time creating
elaborate hair designs.
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3.Except for a section of hair at the nape of 4.Take a 1- to 2-inch (2.5 to 5 cm) section of
the neck, drape the rest of the hair over the the ponytail and rope-braid it. Secure the
braid so that only the part of braid at the ends with a small, clear elastic.
top of the head shows. Join this hair to the
ponytail and retie it.
5.Wrap this rope braid around the base of the

ponytail, pinning it in place with bobby pins.
Then use the curling iron to make ringlets
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in the ponytail and the hair hanging

underneath.
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Inspired by
SPARTACUS: WAR OF THE DAMNED
Gannicus
Known as “God of the Arena” and portrayed by the Australian actor Dustin
Clare in the Spartacus television series, the character of Gannicus is based
on a real Celtic slave who helped command the so-called “Gladiator War”
against the Roman Republic and met his end in the winter of 71 BCE,
near present-day Mount Soprano in southern Italy. By the fourth and final
season, War of the Damned, Gannicus has become the only gladiator ever
to win his freedom through his unparalleled fighting prowess in the arena,
and he has decided, in honor of his dear fallen friend Oenomaus, to join
Spartacus’s rebellion.

TIME: 10 minutes 2 small hair elastics
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1.Make a center part, and then draw another 2.Tie the rest of the hair out of the way
part on either side of the head, extending at the back of the head. Pick up a small
from behind the ear up to the crown of the amount of hair at the forehead in one
head. These two triangular sections on top of the two triangular sections. Split this
of the head will become the French braids. hair into three strands and start French
braiding toward the back of the head.
When there is no more hair in this first
section to add in, English-braid to the
ends and secure it with one of the hair
elastics.
{ DID YOU KNOW?

Ancient Greek men often grew their hair
long and tied it into a knot, but Roman
men at the height of the empire preferred
to keep their hair short to distinguish
themselves from the conquered long-haired
“barbarians” like Gannicus. 3.Repeat step 2 with the triangular section of
hair on the other side. Let down the rest of
the hair to finish the look.
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Inspired by
300
Gorgo Queen of Sparta
Played by the English actress Lena Headey, the character of Gorgo is

(somewhat loosely) based on the real-life Queen of Sparta (born ca. 518
to 508 BCE), who was the only known child of the brilliant but reckless
Spartan ruler Cleomenes I. She married her father’s half-brother, King
Leonides I, and assisted him during the Persian invasion of 480 BCE.
Gorgo’s deeds were recorded by the fifth-century Greek historian Herodotus,
who commended her for being both wise and strategic.
Queen Gorgo wears this hairstyle at the beginning of the movie 300 as
Leonides departs for the war with Persia.
SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate MATERIALS NEEDED:

TIME: 20 minutes 7 small, clear hair elastics
Scissors
A decorative string or cord that is at least
8 times the length of the hair
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1.Divide the hair on the top of the head into 2.Cut 8 lengths of string or cord that are at
seven equal sections: one in the center, least as long as the hair. Thread one end
one from each corner of the forehead, and of one strand through the elastic on one of
two more on each side of the head. Secure the sections of hair and then twist it around
each of these sections with a small, clear the hair. When there are just a couple of
elastic. inches of string left, tie it in a knot around
the hair to secure it in place. Repeat this
step for the remaining six sections of hair,
creating seven wrapped sections in total.
Hair Tip
If you don’t have enough hair to make

seven twists, make five instead, with just
one twist on each side of the head.
3.Bring all of the twists together at the center

of the back of the head. Weave the last
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length of string around them to hold them

together. Knot the string underneath to
keep the sections tightly secured together.
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{ Did You Know?
Often, Greek and Roman women used wigs and extra hair pieces
to create large and impressive hairstyles when their own hair was
not thick or long enough.
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Inspired by
SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND
Lucretia
Played by the Kiwi actress Lucy Lawless, Lucretia is as ambitious and ruthless
as Batiatus, her husband. Batiatus, who owns the ludus in Capua where
Spartacus trains to become a gladiator, seeks power and government favor
by securing spots for his fighters in prestigious games. Lucretia plays the
soft-power game by cultivating important friends, dressing fashionably, and
building a reputation of procuring certain “entertainment” for Capua’s elite.
This complex and elegant hairstyle can be seen in the fourth episode
of Blood and Sand, when Lucretia and Batiatus are scheming about how to
make more money from the fighting pits.
SKILL LEVEL: Advanced MATERIALS NEEDED:

TIME: 30 minutes 3 small, clear hair elastics
Hair clips
Bobby pins
Curling iron
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1.Part the hair so there is a 2-inch-wide (5 cm) 2.Fishtail-braid the rest of this hair to the ends
section along the forehead, running ear and secure with a small, clear hair elastic.
to ear. Tilt the head to the side and start
braiding this “headband” section, starting
from the left side, as a Dutch lace fishtail
braid. Form the braid over the top of the
head and down the other side, picking up
new hair from the headband section you
made until there is no more hair to add.
Hair Tip
If your hair is too short to make

braids that can wrap around your
head, or your hair is too thin to
make them look nice, you can use
hair extensions to make the braids
and then pin these to your head
before curling your own hair and
3.Horizontally divide the rest of the hair in
half. Clip the hair above this part out of the
making the curl bun. way for now. Make two English braids from
two small sections of hair at the back of the
head, taking these sections from right below
the part. Braid to the ends and secure with
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4.Pin the fishtail braid behind the head, 5.Drape the leftmost English braid around the
along the horizontal part. If it’s long left side of the head and along the fishtail braid
enough, drape it back around the head in front. Pin it in place. Then drape the other
and pin it along the beginning of the English braid around the right side of the head
fishtail at the front of the head. and along the fishtail in front. Make sure to tuck
and pin the ends of each braid underneath the
other braids to hide the hair elastics from view.
6.Using the curling iron, curl the hair below 7.Pick up a chunk of hair behind the ears now
the braids in sections 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 and split it in half. Then coil and pin up the
cm) wide by wrapping the section around half closest to the ear, clipping the other
the iron and holding for about ten seconds. half out of the way for now. Repeat this step
Unclip the hair above the horizontal part on the other side of the head. Coil and pin
and curl it as well. Then pick up one curl up the rest of the hair to finish the curl bun,
at the top of the head and wrap it tightly making sure to cover the braids in the back of
around a couple of fingers to form a coil the head. Then unclip the two tendrils of hair
about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Pin it to you left out of the bun and let them hang over
the top of the head. Repeat this step with the shoulders to finish the look.
the rest of the hair above the horizontal
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part, pinning them close together to create

a soft and romantic-looking curly bun at the
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CHAPTER 2
Viking
Warriors
I
n Norse mythology, beautiful hair is a symbol of fertility. Sif, the goddess of
fertility and family, had long golden hair representing bountiful wheat. In
one story recorded by the Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson in his Prose
Edda (ca. 1220), the mischievous god Loki cuts off Sif ’s hair and is punished
severely: not only does he have to make Sif a golden headdress, but he is also
forced to offer gifts to three other gods—one of which is Thor’s mighty hammer.
Clearly, hair was an important indicator of social status and marital eligibility
among the Vikings, and interest in the culture is experiencing a renaissance of
sorts thanks to Vikings, the History Channel’s hit television series. In this chapter
I will be demonstrating how to recreate the hairstyles of some leading characters
in Vikings, including chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok—who is based on the legendary
Norse hero from the Völsunga saga—as well as Kwenthrith, Queen of Mercis,
and the Viking shieldmaidens Lagertha and Torvi. Also included is a hairstyle
of the Saxon warrior Uhtred of Bebbanburg, the fictional protagonist of the
BBC’s historical drama series The Last Kingdom, which is set during the Viking
occupation of England in the ninth century.
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Inspired by
THE LAST KINGDOM
Uhtred of Bebbanburg
Most of the action in The Last Kingdom—which is based on Bernard

Cornwell’s bestselling Saxon Stories novels—is set during the violent second
half of the ninth century, as King Alfred the Great (849–899) unites the
separate kingdoms of England against the Viking invaders. Played by
German-born actor Alexander Dreymon, Uhtred is captured as a youth at
York in 866 by the Danes and raised by their warlord, Ragnar the Fearless.
He develops a great love for his Viking comrades, as well as their gods and
customs, so when he flees to Wessex following his adoptive family’s murder
and joins the Saxon army, he has to contend with conflicting loyalties to
both the Saxons and the Danes.

TIME: 10 minutes Hairspray or texture spray
Hair clips
1 small hair elastic
4 small, clear hair elastics
4 silver hair beads Proof 1
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{
1.To prep the hair for the rough warrior 2.Now divide the hair on top of the
look, tease the hair on top of the head. head into five sections, running from
the forehead back to the crown. The
outermost sections should start at the
corners of the forehead, with the other
three in between. Liberally spray this hair
with hairspray or texture spray so that it
will hold its shape better. Twist each of
these sections, starting with just a little
bit of hair at the forehead. Add in more
hair to each twist as you progress back to
the crown. Clip the twists for now.
3.Bring the two outermost twists together

at the back of the head and secure with
a small hair elastic. Let the three other
twists hang loose under this.
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{ Behind the Scenes
The character of Uhtred is based partly on Uhtred the Bold, the historical earl of the
Kingdom of Northumbria from 1006 to 1016, who led an army into battle at Durham in
northeast England and came away with a decisive victory over Malcolm II of Scotland.
4.Divide the hair on one side of the head in half 5.Slide a hair bead over each elastic on the
horizontally, and then make two more twists four side twists.
with each of these halves, securing each twist
with a small, clear hair elastic near the back of
the head. Repeat this step on the other side of
the head.
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Hair Tip
If your hair is very long, don’t worry about making a bun out of the entire length
of the braids—you can let the ends hang free and just remove the elastics.
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Inspired by
Vikings
Kwenthrith Queen of Mercia

Kwenthrith enters the action of Vikings in season two. Her character is
inspired by the powerful, jealous sister of Saint Kenelm and daughter of
Kenwulf, King of Mercia (present-day English Midlands) from the ninth-
century. Played by American actress Amy Bailey, Kwenthrith seduces Ragnar
(page 45), King Ecbert of Wessex, and his son, Aethelwulf, in her quest
for supreme power. In addition to her sex appeal, Kwenthrith relies on her
natural ruthlessness and superior cunning to dispose of adversaries and
protect her throne.
This alluring look comes from episode nine of season two, when a
number of Vikings decide to volunteer as mercenaries in Kwenthrith’s army.

18 silver hair beads
Bobby pins
Necklace or circlet
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1.Part the hair in the center and grab a large 2.Form these rope braids into a little bun
section of hair on either side of the part. at the back of the head. Pin in place with
Rope-braid each of these sections toward bobby pins.
the back of the head and tie them off with
an elastic for now.
3.Pick up three small sections of hair on each 4.Make a small rope accent braid on each
side of the head. Slide three small hair side of the head as well, securing them
beads onto each one of these sections. with hair elastics or letting them hang free
if you wish to have a looser look. For the
finishing touch, drape a beaded necklace
or circlet across the forehead and pin it
into the rope braids to hold it in place.
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Inspired by
Vikings
Ragnar Lothbrok
The Norse king Ragnar Lothbrok is more a figure out of folklore than
history; there’s a saga in which he marries and has four sons (Ubbe, Hvitserk,
Sigurd Snake-Eye, and Ivar the Boneless) with Auslag, daughter of the
legendary dragonslayer Sigurd and Valkyrie shieldmaiden Brynhildr. The
Vikings character Ragnar, played by Australian actor Travis Fimmel, has a
son with his first wife, Lagertha (page 53), before coming under the spell of
the beautiful Auslag. As Earl of Kattegat in southern Norway, he leads his
clan on terrifying raids in England and France while struggling to keep them
united with one another.
The hairstyle shown here is his classic look from season one.

Several large hair elastics
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1.Section off the top portion of the hair by 2.Gather up these braids, along with some
making a part, starting at each corner of free-hanging hair at the sides of the head,
the forehead and running back to the and tie them into a half ponytail at the
crown. Divide this section of hair into three back of the head with a large hair elastic.
subsections. French-braid each of these
subsections, finishing the braids to the ends
and securing them with small hair elastics.
{ Behind the Scenes

While there are few historical references to how
the Vikings styled their hair, the hairstylists on
the History Channel show like to imagine what
could be done using only period-appropriate
hairstyling tools. Thus, you won’t find any hair
elastics or bobby pins on the actors! Instead,
braids are secured either with string or by
back-combing the ends so that they stay in
place. To create complex updos, gilded thread
and a blunt needle are used to sew braids to
the head. And if you want to accessorize like
these Vikings, you should take a trip to Italy—
interviews with cast and crew reveal that many
3.Gather this ponytail, along with the remaining
hair, into a low ponytail, tying it all together
of the hair decorations seen on the show are with a large hair elastic (or leather cord, if you
antique necklaces and jewelry from Italian want to be authentic!). Then add more hair
opera houses! elastics, spaced a few inches apart, down the
length of the ponytail.
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Inspired by
Vikings
Torvi
Played by the English actress Georgia Hirst, Torvi is a strong-willed woman.
After her first husband, Earl Borg, is brutally executed by Ragnar Lothbrok
(page 45), she is forced to murder her abusive second husband, Erlendur, in
order to save the life of her lover (and Ragnar’s son), Bjorn. Before long she is
married to Bjorn and leading battles as a shieldmaiden, second in command
under Bjorn’s mother, Lagertha (page 53).
Torvi also has some of the most eye-catching and unique hairstyles in the
show. The look shown here is from the fourth episode of season four, when
Bjorn asks Torvi to be with him instead of Erlendur.

TIME: 20 minutes 7 small, clear hair elastics (optional)
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1.Make a center part, and then create a Dutch 2.Make two more Dutch lace braids below the
lace waterfall braid with a 1-inch-wide (2.5 first ones, one on either side of the head,
cm) section of hair on each side of the part adding in the hair that came out of the first
(see page 17 for instructions on waterfall two waterfall braids. As with the previous
braiding). Add in hair to the top strands of braids, stop adding in more hair when you
the braid as you form it toward the back of reach the back of the head and English-braid
the head, and remove hair from the bottom them to the ends, securing these braids with
strands so that this hair waterfalls out below hair elastics.
the braid. When you get to the back of the
head, stop adding in new hair and English-
braid them to the ends, tying them off with
small elastics. (Technically, Torvi doesn’t wear
hair elastics because these long braids can
hold themselves, but you can secure the
ends if you want.)
Hair Tip
The Vikings show stylists like to “free-style”

the characters’ looks a lot—they’ll have a
general concept but make improvisations on it
from scene to scene, like a jazz solo. Feel free
to make adjustments to fit your whims, too! 3.Now make three small English braids at the
back of the head: one at the end of the center
part and the other two each starting between
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4.Take the tails of the two Dutch lace waterfall 5.Now, cross the two outer English braids
braids and cross them at the back of the under the center English braid. As with the
head, over the center English braid. Then Dutch lace waterfall braids, thread these
thread these braids through the strands of braids through the two Dutch lace braids.
the two Dutch lace braids. Use a topsy tail
to do this or poke your fingers through the
Dutch lace braids to pull the others through.
6.Gather up the ends of the center

English braid and the Dutch lace
braids and tie them together with a
small hair elastic.
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Inspired by
Vikings
Lagertha
Played by the Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick, the character of Lagertha
is a shieldmaiden and the first wife of Ragnar Lothbrok (page 45). The
Lagertha of folklore is believed to have lived in the ninth century, and she
appears in the twelfth-century writings of Saxo Grammaticus as “Ladgerda,
a skilled Amazon, who, though a maiden, had the courage of a man, and
fought in front among the bravest with her hair loose over her shoulders. All
marveled at her matchless deeds, for her lock flying down her back betrayed
that she was a woman.”
The Vikings stylists gave Lagertha many awesome looks to live up to this
description. The one shown here can be seen in season two, when she has
become an earl following her separation from Ragnar.

Hair clips
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1.Gather all the hair on top of the head 2.Let down the top section of hair and draw a
and clip it out of the way for now. On one slightly diagonal part, extending from near
side of the head, divide the hair into two the front of the head on one side to near
horizontal halves. Create Dutch lace braids the back of the head on the other side.
with these two sections, starting at the
front of the head and going backward.
When you reach the back of the head,
English-braid them to the ends and secure
with small hair elastics. Repeat this step on
the other side of the head.
{ Behind the Scenes

The hairstyles in Vikings act as a device for character development. For instance, the progression
of Ragnar’s hairstyles mimics the progression of his character: the more power and weight of
responsibility he accumulated, the more hair weight he chopped off, until at his zenith he had no hair
at all. Lagertha rose in power as well, but her hair became ever more complicated in the process. These
structured styles serve a shieldmaiden’s purpose, keeping hair out of the eyes and intimidating the
enemy, so when she became an earl, perhaps she was intentionally using her hairstyles to amplify her
martial might and make sure everyone remembers how she took her power in the first place.
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3.French-braid the hair in front of the part, 4.Now French-braid the hair behind the part
starting at the front and going backward at an opposite diagonal, finishing off the
in a diagonal so that the end of the braid braid behind the opposite ear.
falls behind one ear. Secure with an
elastic to hold the braid in place.
5.Turn all six braids into “slide-up” 6.Loosen the slide-up braids a little bit
braids—that is, remove the elastic at the and then secure them with the small hair
ends, grab the end of one strand, and elastics. Then gently braid together the
slide the other two strands up toward the three braids on each side of the head,
head until they can go no farther. securing each larger braid with an elastic.
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CHAPTER 3
Renaissance
Royals
A
s in other eras of history, the way Renaissance women wore their hair
was strongly connected to social status and religious observance. In this
chapter we will be recreating hairstyles from four historical dramas set
in Renaissance Britain, France, and Italy. As this cultural apex is flourishing in
fifteenth-century Florence, we are introduced to the inner rivalries of a notorious
aristocratic family, including those of the clever and beautiful Lucrezia Borgia,
in the Showtime drama series The Borgias. The 2017 Starz miniseries The White
Princess transports us to England in 1486, where two warring houses are united by
the marriage of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Showtime’s The Tudors
examines the scandalous life of Henry VII and Elizabeth’s son, King Henry VIII,
who beheaded two of his six wives—including the vivacious, tempestuous Anne
Boleyn—and initiated the English Reformation in the process. The TV series
Reign, which first aired in 2013, follows Mary, Queen of Scots’s ascent to power
in Scotland and France in the late sixteenth century, as well as her growing rivalry
with Queen Elizabeth I of England.
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{ DID YOU KNOW?
Anne Boleyn had hair long enough to sit on!
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Inspired by
The Tudors
Anne Boleyn
In 1536, after being accused of adultery with multiple men, Anne Boleyn
became the first English queen to be publicly executed. Reportedly fond
of wine, archery, and gambling, young Anne was described by witnesses as
sharp-tongued and flirtatious. In 1526, while serving as a lady-in-waiting
to Queen Catherine, Henry VIII’s first wife, she caught the eye of the king,
eventually giving birth to Queen Elizabeth I and setting into motion one of
the most dramatic series of events in English history.
In the Showtime historical drama The Tudors, she is skillfully portrayed
by the English actress Natalie Dormer. This updo can be seen on Anne at the
end of season two, as she fights to hold on to her crown.

Bobby pins
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1.Make a center part, and then gather two 2.Wrap each of these braids around each
small sections of hair from the nape of the side of the head and across the top,
neck. English-braid these sections and secure pinning them in place. Make sure to leave
at the ends. out strips of hair (about 2 inches, or 5 cm,
wide) that frame the face on both sides.
3.Gather the remaining hair, including the 4.Form this braid into a circle at the back of
hair framing the face, at the base of the the head and pin it in place with bobby pins.
head and rope-braid it. Secure the ends
with a hair elastic.
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Inspired by
REIGN
Mary Queen of Scots
Becoming queen when she was only six days old, Mary, Queen of Scots
lived a short life full of political intrigue, scandal, and murder before she was
beheaded in 1587 at the command of her rival to the English throne, Queen
Elizabeth I. Reign (somewhat inaccurately) follows the early period of Mary’s
life at the French court of Henry II, during her marriage to King Francis, and
later in Scotland as she attempted to secure her own crown.
This particular hairstyle is from season one, during Mary’s days at the
French court.

Bobby pins
Tiara (optional)
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1.Make a center part, then gather a small 2.Gather up the hair at the crown of the head
section of hair at the front of the head on and English-braid it, securing the ends with a
one side of the part. Lace-braid this section, small hair elastic.
adding in just three small sections of new
hair from the front hairline at the top of the
forehead. English-braid it to the ends and
secure with a small hair elastic. Repeat this
step on the other side of the head.
3.Coil the English braid around itself at the crown 4.Wrap each small lace braid around the bun
to make a bun. Pin to hold the braid in place. (wrapping along the bottom of the bun, then
{
over), and tuck the ends of the braids underneath
the bun, pinning to secure them. If you have a
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{ DID YOU KNOW?
Real-life Mary was vivacious, musical, eloquent, skilled in falconry, and very tall, with long auburn hair that was
often concealed by veils and headdresses, as was the fashion among adult noblewomen in Renaissance England. Proof 1

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{ Did You Know?
Italian Renaissance women didn’t cover their hair as often as women in
Northern Europe, but the hair was still tied up and off the back if the woman
was married, and woven hairnets were often employed to cover it. Even so, a
great amount of effort was put into haircare and styling during that period.
Lucrezia Borgia was known to take an entire day off to wash and curl her hair!
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Inspired by
The Borgias
Lucrezia Borgia
Born into the infamous Borgia family, Lucrezia (1480–1519) was most likely
used as a pawn in her family’s quest to take over parts of Italy. Her father,
Pope Alexander VI, arranged for all three of her politically advantageous
marriages, the first one occurring when Lucrezia was only thirteen. He also
helped end her marriages when they were no longer beneficial to the family.
Yet this cunning, golden-haired femme fatale—played by the English actress
Holliday Grainger in the shocking historical drama The Borgias—had a
power all her own.
The hairstyle shown here can be seen in a scene from season two, when
Lucrezia is meeting with her lover Paolo.

TIME: 20 minutes Bobby pins
4 small hair elastics
Hair clips
Curling iron (optional)
Decorative ribbon
Tiara
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1.Make a center part, and then take two 2.Form these twists into a circle at the upper
sections of hair at the back of the head back of the head and pin them in place.
and twist them.
Hair Tip
Curly and wavy hair work best for this style! The texture helps hold the twists together
and keeps the bobby pins from sliding out. So, if you are not blessed with natural waves
or curls, take a curling iron and add some curls to your hair before you begin.
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3.On one side of the head, gather a 2-inch- 4.English-braid the hair below the clip on
wide (5 cm) section of hair around the face, both sides and secure with small hair
and twist it until you reach about ear level, elastics.
clipping it in place. Repeat this step on the
other side of the head.
5.Wrap these braids around the outside of 6.Take the decorative ribbon and pin it over
the circle you made earlier, pinning them the bottom of the circle. Then position
in place. more decorative ribbon or a tiara inside
the top of the circle.
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Inspired by
THE WHITE PRINCESS
Elizabeth of York
When Elizabeth of York married Henry VII in 1486, their union represented
the end of the Wars of the Roses. A mother of seven children, of whom only
four survived past childhood—including the extravagant and vengeful Tudor
monarch Henry VIII (see page 59)—the historical Elizabeth of York wasn’t
exactly badass in the traditional sense. In fact, she was known as a gentle,
doting wife and mother, avoiding politics and enjoying the company of her
pet greyhounds until her untimely death on her 37th birthday in 1503.
Based on the historical fiction novel by Philippa Gregory, the Showtime
miniseries The White Princess cast English actress Jodie Comer in the lead role
and presented a much saucier version of known events.

TIME: 20 minutes Hair clips
Hair extensions (optional)
2 large hair elastics
Decorative ribbon
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1.Make a center part, and then gather a section 2.Fold one of these braids in half so that the
of hair on one side of the head, in front of braid length is now pointing up to the top of
the ears. At about eyebrow level, start lace- the head.
braiding this hair. Lace-braid in the rest of the
hair along the side hairline until you get to
the ear, and then English-braid it to the ends
and secure with a small hair elastic. Repeat
this step on the other side of the head.
Hair Tip
Many historical and fantasy

women’s styles use small braids
around the face. For people
with bangs, this can be an issue.
To work with bangs, use styles
with French or lace braids so
you can start the braid near the
face, but add in longer hair from
farther back so that the braid
can continue. If the style has a
headband-like braid or a high
3.At the same height where you started the braid, bun, you can also brush the bangs
weave in a fourth and fifth strand of hair like you back and pin them underneath
would in a five-strand braid pattern (page 19).
Repeat this step with the braid on the other side
these parts of the style.
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of the head. Finish these braids to the ends and

clip them in place.
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4.If the hair is long and somewhat thick, 5.Wrap the rope braids or hair extension
gather some hair from the nape of the braid around the side and over the top of
neck and English-braid it to the ends. the head, pinning it in place. It should lie
If the hair is shorter, make two English on top of the five-strand braids, holding
braids—one on each side of the neck— them tight against the head.
or make a longer braid out of a length
of hair extensions.
6.Now gather all the hair, including the five-

strand braids, and tie it into a low ponytail,
securing it with the large hair elastic. Undo
any braiding below this hair elastic, and
then English-braid the entire ponytail,
securing it with another hair elastic. Finally,
wrap the decorative ribbon around the top
ponytail elastic.
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CHAPTER 4
Romantic
Renegades
I
n this chapter, I have recreated hairstyles from movies and TV shows
that depict the romance and adventure of the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries, including Black Sails, Penny Dreadful, Outlander, and the 2005
movie Pride and Prejudice. Black Sails is a pirate adventure drama set in the early
eighteenth century (ca. 1715) in the lawless West Indies, where ruthless and
greedy buccaneers are engaged in a bloody contest over the region’s wealth. One
of these pirates is Charles Vane, a former slave and protégé of Blackbeard who
establishes himself as one of the most feared captains in the Caribbean. Vane’s
temporary captive, Max, is another former slave who—like Vane—vies for the
love of the powerful black marketeer Eleanor Guthrie. Set in Victorian London
(ca. 1891), Penny Dreadful centers on the gifted but tortured figure of Vanessa
Ives, who uses her mystic powers to vanquish evil spirits. The time-travelling
drama Outlander, based on the bestselling historical-fantasy book series by Diana
Gabaldon, follows the unlikely romance between a twentieth-century combat
nurse and an eighteenth-century Scottish fugitive, both of whom owe their lives
in part to the latter’s older sister, Jenny Murray. Based on the beloved early
nineteenth-century novel by Jane Austen, the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and
Prejudice follows the story of Lizzy Bennet, a sharp-witted rebel against the rigid
expectations of Regency-era British society.
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Inspired by
PENNY DREADFUL
Vanessa Ive s
Brilliantly played by the French actress Eva Green, the medium Vanessa
Ives is a standout original among a cast of characters culled from Gothic
literature, including Frankenstein, Dracula, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Ives’s mysterious background and
literal inner demons play center stage in this horror drama, which is inspired
by the cheap, sensational stories common in Victorian London—“penny
dreadful” was a nickname for serial stories on fantastical topics that you
could buy for a penny.
This fashionable style is a variation on the Newport Knot, a twisted
updo that was popular in England around the turn of the twentieth century.
(That’s a little later than the Victorian era, but close enough!)

TIME: 10 minutes Teasing comb
Bobby pins
Fabric flower hair accessory
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1.Section off the hair along the forehead 2.Now gently brush all of this hair back and
and side hairlines. Tease this hair to gather it into a high ponytail, tightly twisting
give it volume. up the hair.
3.Make a loop with the twist so that the loop

points upward and the tail passes between
the loop and the head. To do this, hold the
twist up, then fold it in half so the tail hangs
down. Holding the tail steady with one
hand, twist the fold once in the direction of
the tail. You should now have a loop that
you’re holding flat against the head. Pin this
loop in place.
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4.Rope-braid the hair tail. 5.Wrap this rope braid around the pinned
loop and pin the braid in place. Then
place a fabric flower hair accessory on the
lower side of the updo.
Hair Tip
If your hair isn’t long enough to make both the

loop and the rope braid, use all of your hair to
make the loop, and then clip some extensions
around a large hair elastic. Fit this elastic
around the pinned loop made with your own
hair and rope-braid the extensions around it.
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Inspired by
Black Sails
Charles Vane
The character of this fan-favorite swashbuckler is based on the real-life

privateer-turned-pirate of the same name, whose heyday of pillaging ranged
from 1715 or 1716 to his death by hanging in 1720. Portrayed by the
American actor Zach McGowan, Charles Vane is captain of the ship Ranger
and one of New Providence Island’s top pirates.
Charles’s style is a simple, no-nonsense look that keeps his long hair out
of his face. This is an excellent starter hairstyle for the beginning braider!

TIME: 5 minutes 1 large hair elastic
or suede or leather cord
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1.Make a horizontal parting through the hair, 2.Tie this hair into a ponytail with the large hair
from ear to ear and across the upper back elastic—use a suede or leather cord to be
of the head. Gather up all the hair above more authentic.
this part.
3.Pick up a small section of hair from behind

one ear, and English-braid it to the
ends. You don’t have to secure the ends,
because small braids hold themselves
together. Repeat this step with a small
amount of hair from behind the other ear.
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Inspired by
OUTLANDER
Jenny Murray
Outlander is a passionate and nerve-wracking show that blends sci-fi, action,

and romance. It takes place in the eighteenth-century Scottish Highlands,
where Claire Beauchamp accidentally falls back in time from the twentieth
century, falls in love with the fugitive “Red Jamie” Fraser, and then attempts
to stop the bloody 1745 Jacobite Rebellion that historically marks the end of
the Highland way of life. For this style, we focus on the tough-as-nails Jenny
Murray (née Fraser), Jamie’s sister, played by the Irish actress Laura Donnelly.
In the books, Jenny (as the “responsible” Fraser sibling) tends toward
practical styles and usually wears her hair pinned up under a kerchief like
most married women of the time. Luckily for us, though, in the middle of
the first season, the show offers a beautiful braided style to recreate!

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1.Make a part through the hair that runs 2.English-braid this hair to the ends and
from ear to ear and up across the crown secure it with a small hair elastic.
of the head. Gather the hair on top of this
part.
3.Wrap this braid around itself to make a bun 4.Cross these braids at the back of the head
at the top of the head. Pin it in place. Divide and pin them to the opposite sides of the
the remaining hair in half. Braid each half bun. Wrap the remaining tails of the braids
in a three-strand braid, directing the braids around the bun and pin in place. Tuck the
upward, so there is no bulging at the roots of tails underneath the lengths of braid that
the braids when you lift them up to the bun. make the X in back so that you don’t cover
Secure the braids with small elastics. this feature.
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Hair Tip
When starting misdirected braids—braids that go in the opposite direction of how the
hair grows—it’s helpful to use a Dutch-braiding pattern, weaving the outer strands
under the middle strand, to help keep bulging roots to a minimum.
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Inspired by
Black Sails
Max
Prostitute-turned-madam Max, played by the Canadian actress Jessica Parker
Kennedy, can readily be described as “crafty.” Raised in slavery and later
captured by the motley crew of Charles Vane (page 79), she is not one to give
up as she seeks to become the merchant queen of Nassau.
This style is a version of the look she wears once she’s climbed the social
ladder and become madam.

Bobby pins
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1.Section off some wispy bits of hair around the 2.Form this braid over the top of the head
front hairline and clip them out of the way for and around the other side, adding in hair
now. Starting behind one ear, make a Dutch from along the forehead. Stop adding in
lace braid pointing upward. new hair when you reach the other ear, and
finish the braid to the ends. Secure it with
a small elastic.
{ Did You Know?

For much of history, hair has been closely associated with female sexuality. It was considered acceptable
for a girl to wear her hair long and loose until she was married, at which point she was expected to
start wearing updos in public. Loose hair was reserved for intimate settings. This is why Maxine’s hair
becomes more elaborate and styled in updos as she transitions from being a prostitute to the more
professional brothel madam.
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3.Pin the tail of this braid across the back of 4.From one side of the nape of the neck,
the head. If it’s long enough to reach the grab a small section of hair and English-
beginning of the braid on the other side of the braid it to the ends. Secure it with a small
head, pin it parallel to the start of this braid. hair elastic. Repeat this step with a small
section of hair on the other side of the
nape of the neck.
5.Wrap these small braids over the top of 6.If you don’t have curly hair, curl the rest of
the head, in front of the large braid, and the hair with a curling iron, including the
pin them in place. wispy bits at the face. Leaving the wispy
bits out, scrunch up the rest of the hair,
one large section at a time, and pin into a
messy bun at the lower back of the head.
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Inspired by
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Lizzy Bennet
Played by the English actress Kiera Knightley in the 2005 movie version
of Pride and Prejudice, Lizzy Bennet is headstrong and independent, and
expected to find a wealthy husband. When she matches wits with the
arrogant Mr. Darcy, one of the most entertaining and satisfying courtships
ever written ensues.
Lizzy wears this fancy pearl-studded style in the ballroom party scene,
when she first meets Mr. Darcy.

Bobby pins
Several pearl hair pins Proof 1 2 T
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{ Did You Know?
During much of the eighteenth century, large hairstyles were in fashion. Hairdressing shops sold
wigs and hairpieces that could easily be pinned to a woman’s natural hair with a comb. Women also
gathered fallen hair from combs, balled it into clumps, secured those to their heads with hairpins,
and then draped their natural hair over the clumps for a more voluminous look. In the Regency era
(ca. 1795–1837), hairstyles became less elaborate, but curly hair remained the standard of beauty.
Many modest English women wore bonnets when out and about, with ringlets of hair framing the
face. At the time, hair was curled with iron rods and clamps heated in the fire—the precursor to our
modern hair curlers.
1.Horizontally divide the hair in half. 2.Clip up the top section of the hair for
now. Take a horizontal section of hair from
the lower half, right below the part, and
French-braid this section from one side
of the head to the other. When you reach
the other side of the head, stop adding in
new hair and English-braid it to the ends.
Secure the braid with a small hair elastic.
Hair Tip
This braid is meant to wrap around the whole head. If the hair is not long enough to
do that, you can make two braids instead, starting in the middle of the back of the
head, with each braid ending on opposite sides of the head.
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3.Now wrap the braid over the top of the 4.Let down the top half of the hair you clipped
head like a headband and pin it in place. up earlier. If you don’t have curly hair, curl it
with a small curling iron. With small sections
at a time, wrap the hair around two fingers
to form barrel curls. Pin each of these
barrel curls to the head directly behind the
headband braid. Make sure to pin the curls
close together so that you have a solid mass
of curls at the top of the head.
Hair Tip
5.Curl the rest of the hair, also making barrel curls
like in step 4. Pin these curls along the bottom
of the existing curl bun to make it larger and to The actress wore bangs with
cover the braid at the back of the head. Finish this style, so if you have
off the style by inserting pearl hair pins among
bangs, let them hang free!
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CHAPTER 5
Fierce Fantasy
N
ow we leave the world of romance and adventure and enter a realm of fantasy
and make-believe. The looks in this chapter—which are inspired by several
popular fantasy TV series and films—are more extravagant than the historically
inspired styles of the previous chapter, but still heavily inspired by real-world artistic
traditions. Game of Thrones, which has won multiple Emmys and is based on the book
series A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) by George R. R. Martin, has had its fans in a frenzy
since its premiere in 2011. This medieval-inspired HBO series follows nine powerful
families—whose members include Cersei Lannister, Sansa Stark, Margaery Tyrell, and
Daenerys Targaryen—as they plot to take over the coveted Iron Throne. Speaking of
medieval, BBC’s Merlin follows the characters of the Arthurian legend as youths, including
Arthur’s potent nemesis, Morgana Pendragon. In Once Upon a Time, the residents of
Storybrooke, Maine, discover that they are transplants from a fairytale world, and only one
woman—the bail-bond agent Emma Swan—has the power to break the curse that enslaves
them. In The Shannara Chronicles, based on the YA book series by Terry Brooks, the world
known as the Four Lands is being threatened by demons, and it is up to three young heroes,
including the orphan thief Eretria, to save it. From the novels of J. R. R. Tolkien come
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings film trilogies, where hobbits, wizards, dwarves, and
more—including the elves Legolas and Tauriel and the shieldmaiden Éowyn—join forces
against the evil creatures and sorcerers within Middle-earth. Finally, Diana Prince lends her
unparalleled Amazonian fighting prowess to the aid of World War I British troops in the
2017 blockbuster movie Wonder Woman. Proof 1

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Inspired by
ONCE UPON A TIME
Emma Swan
Talk about a storied past! Though Emma Swan, played by the American
actress Jennifer Morrison, grew up in foster care in Minnesota, she is actually
the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming of Storybrooke, Maine.
Now it is up to her ten-year-old son, whom she gave up for adoption as
a baby, to return her to Storybrooke, where she can bring back happy
storybook endings.
Most of the time, Emma’s style in this enchanted environment is
modern, with jeans, a leather jacket, and her hair worn loose. When she
becomes the Dark One in season five, however, she sports a looped braided
bun. It looks intricate and fancy, but it isn’t hard to do. I promise!

Hair clips
Bobby pins
Extensions (optional)
Silver hair comb (optional)
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1.Split the hair into two sections, making a 2.English-braid the top section of hair and
diagonal part across the back of the head. secure it with a small hair elastic at the end.
3.English-braid the bottom section of hair

to the ends, but direct this braid upward.
(If this is difficult, you can try flipping your
head upside down in order to braid this
section.) Secure the ends of the braid
with a small hair elastic.
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4.Make a circle with the bottom braid at the 5.Now make an interlocking circle with the top
back of the head, and clip it in place for now; braid by passing it through the hole made
don’t pin it down just yet. by the braid circle. Pin both of these braids
to the head. Tuck the elastic-tied ends of the
braids underneath the circles to hide them.
Hair Tip
If your hair is thin and you want a big bun like Emma’s, you can add some
clip-in extensions before making the braids. Also, if you wish, add a silver
hair comb like the one Emma wears in the Enchanted Forest.
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{ Behind the Scenes
Many Game of Thrones cast members wear wigs that
require very special care and styling. Daenerys has
multiple wigs for different scenes because the wigs’
white hair is so porous that it absorbs dirt and smoke
and turns gray. Cersei’s wig is so thick and long that
it cost a whopping $7,000 to make. And to achieve
the massive height of Margaery’s Purple Wedding
hairstyle, the stylists on the show had to use a wire
cage the size of a flower pot and drape hair over it.
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Inspired by
GAME OF THRONES
Margaery Tyrell
Played by the English actress Natalie Dormer, Margaery Tyrell is the premier
social climber of the Seven Kingdoms. With the goal of being queen—and
encroaching upon Cersei Lannister’s territory (page 121) in the process—she
marries not one, not two, but three kings. Her personal style is distinctly
graceful, yet seductive, and her hairstyles feature many rope braids and
twists, which Sansa Stark (page 129) mimics in season three as she tries to fit
in at King’s Landing.

TIME: 5 minutes Bobby pins
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1.Make a center part. Take a small section of 2.Pick up another section of hair directly beneath
hair from above the forehead on one side the first one, twist it, and pin it at the crown.
of the part. Twist this section backward. Repeat this step on the other side of the head.
Gently drape it back to the crown of the
head and pin it there, pushing the pins
underneath the twist to hide them. Repeat
Hair Tip
Curly or wavy hair makes

this style more romantic, so
if your hair is stick straight,
you may want to create soft
curls with a curling iron to
finish the look. 3.Finally, make one more tier of twists below
these, picking up hair from right above and
behind the ears.
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Inspired by
Wonder Woman
Diana Prince
She fights ferociously, inspires truth, wields God-given weapons, and builds a
better world—even just talking about Wonder Woman gets you fired up and
feeling empowered! Played by the Israeli actress Gal Gadot, this Amazonian
princess is training for battle on her home island of Themyscira, when Steve
Trevor, an American World War I pilot, crashes nearby and requires her
immediate assistance. Her battle-braid style is based on the French fishtail
technique, with a slight adjustment to hold it in place.

TIME: 10 minutes 1 small or large hair elastic
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1.Section the hair from the tops of the ears 2.Start making a French fishtail braid with this
to the top of the head. hair. Collect more hair from the left side of
the head to add into the braid as you do with
French-braid styles, but pass it underneath
the braid first. Then add it to some hair from
the right half of the fishtail braid and bring
it over to add it to the inside of the other
fishtail strand. Do the same thing with hair
from the other side of the head, passing it
underneath the braid, adding it to some
hair from the left half of the fishtail braid,
and bringing it over to add it in to the inside
of the other strand. This is just like normal
French fishtail braiding, except new hair is
passed underneath the braid first before
adding it to the braid, unlike a French fishtail
where new hair is added directly to the inside
of the fishtail strands.
3.Keep forming the fishtail braid like this, passing hair from the opposite side of the head
underneath the braid and then adding it in. This gives the braid a downward chevron pattern,
but makes it sit on top of the head like a Dutch fishtail braid. It also adds more friction to the
style so the braid holds together better. When there’s no more hair to add in, finish the braid to
the ends as a normal fishtail and secure it with the hair elastic.
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Hair Tip
You can gently pull on small

bits of the braid to fluff it up
and make it look bigger. Proof 1

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Inspired by
THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Legolas
Sent as a messenger by his father to the Council of Elrond, Legolas, played
by the English actor Orlando Bloom, volunteers to represent the elves as
one of the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring. With his mad
archery skills, heightened senses, and strikingly perfect hair, this Prince of the
Woodland Realm is an asset on the quest to destroy the One Ring.
Legolas wears this fishtail braid style in all three of The Lord of the Rings
movies, as well as in The Hobbit trilogy.

TIME: 15 minutes 1 small hair elastic
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1.Collect all the hair on top of the head 2.Fishtail-braid this section of hair all the way to
into a ponytail at the crown. the ends, and secure it with a hair elastic.
{ Behind the Scenes

In writing about his Middle-earth characters,
author J. R. R. Tolkien paid a great deal of
attention to detail—including the characters’
hair. For instance, the Rohirrim were often
described as plaiting their hair before battle,
and dwarves had long, thick braided beards that
they could tuck into their belts. (In the movies,
the dwarves’ beards were made with yak hair
to achieve the appropriate effect.) The elves,
3.Pick up a small section of hair on one side
of the head and make a lace fishtail braid.
who were considered more beautiful than some Keep adding in small amounts of hair from
could even imagine, often had long, enchanting the side of the head until you get past the
hair—it is said that Galadriel’s hair captured ears, then stop adding in new hair and finish
some of the light of the Two Trees of Valinor the fishtail braid normally to the ends. Let the
and was a wonder to behold. ends of these braids hang without securing
them, because small braids hold themselves
together well. Repeat this step on the other
side of the head.
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Inspired by
MERLIN
Morgana Pendragon
When her magical powers materialize, this good girl, played by the Irish
actress Katie McGrath, turns bad. Uther Pendragon, Morgana and King
Arthur’s father, outlawed magic in Camelot, and those who are caught
practicing it may be sentenced to death. Morgana isn’t keen to give up her
powers so easily, leaving her with little option but to turn against family and
friends as she plots to take over the kingdom.
Style-wise, Morgana’s fall from grace is reflected in her hair, which
becomes increasingly disheveled, but when she is momentarily crowned
queen, after she and the sorceress Morgause capture Camelot, she wears
this side-braided look.

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1.Section off all the hair on top of the head 2.Take the hair gathered on top of the head, and
and clip it out of the way for now. Then start French-braiding it down the back. Add
on one side of the head, horizontally part in all the hair on the head, as well as the four
the hair in half. French-braid these two smaller French braids when you get to them.
sections of hair, but stop adding in hair Finish the French braid to the ends and secure
when you get past the ear. English-braid it with the large hair elastic.
the hair to the ends and secure the braids
with small hair elastics. Repeat this step
on the other side of the head.
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Inspired by
GAME OF THRONES
Daenerys Targaryen
The Mother of Dragons, played by English actress Emilia Clarke, has

arguably one of the most iconic hairstyles ever shown on-screen. While her
look has evolved over many seasons, from girlish waves to tight braided
buns and ponytails, Dany almost always wears some sort of tiered braid
look, reflecting the importance of braids to Dothraki culture and in turn the
importance of being a Khaleesi to her character formation.
Daenerys wears this style in the third and fourth seasons, during the time
she is conquering the cities of Slaver’s Bay.

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1.Make a center part, and then create a 2.Bring the braids together at the crown.
Dutch lace braid that starts at one of the Use your fingers to poke holes in between
corners of the forehead and goes directly the strands of these braids and line up the
backward. When you reach the crown, three strands from one braid with the three
stop adding in new hair and braid the strands from the other braid.
hair to the ends. Secure it with an elastic
for now. Repeat this step on the other
side of the part.
3.Undo the braiding below this point and

blend together the strands from the two
braids. With these new, larger strands,
English-braid the hair to the ends. Again,
secure temporarily with an elastic.
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4.Now make a Dutch braid on one side of the head,
leaving out a bit of wispy hair around the face.
Dutch-braid straight back until you reach the ear,
then stop adding in hair to the bottom of the braid
and make a Dutch lace braid the rest of the way
instead, only adding in hair to the top strands of
the braid (the strands closest to the top of the
head). Stop adding in new hair when you reach the
back of the head and finish the braid to the ends.
Repeat this step on the other side of the head.
5.At the center of the back of the head, secure these

three braids together with the large hair elastic.
Release the braiding below this elastic.
Hair Tip
After finishing the braids, curl

the remaining loose hair to
look even more like Dany!
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Hair Tip
Don’t have a circlet or tiara? You can use

a necklace stretched across the forehead
and pinned into the hair.
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Inspired by
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS
Éowyn
Lady Éowyn of Rohan is one of the few female characters in The Lord of the
Rings trilogy. Though her storyline varies a little between the books and the
movies, in both she is brave and fiercely loyal to her people. She eventually
becomes temporary leader of Rohan during Théoden’s battle against the
army of Isengard and then a warrior when she disguises herself as a man and
slays the Witch-king of Angmar at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Played by Australian actress Miranda Otto, Éowyn wears this elegant
updo worn during Théodred’s funeral, when she sings a lament for the
fallen prince.

TIME: 15 minutes Gold circlet or tiara
Bobby pins
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1.Place the gold circlet on the head before 2.Cross these rope braids at the back of the
you begin braiding. Pick up a section of hair head and pin them in place. Let any extra
along the front hairline that spans between length of braid hang free for now.
the center part and the ear. Rope-braid this
section of hair to the ends and secure it with
a small elastic. Repeat this step on the other
side of the head.
3.Split the remaining hair in half, then rope- 4.Coil up these braids on the back of the head
braid each half to the ends. Secure these into a vertical elongated shape, pinning as
braids with small elastics. you go. Position the braid buns right next to
each other so that there’s no gap between
them. If you have any extra length in the first
pair of braids, wrap it around the braid buns
and secure with bobby pins. Make sure to
tuck the ends of the braids underneath the
bun to hide them.
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Inspired by
THE HOBBIT
Tauriel
Introduced for the first time in Peter Jackson’s film adaptations of The
Hobbit, Tauriel, whose name translates to “Daughter of the Forest,” is
captain of the Mirkwood Elven Guard. Played by the Canadian actress
Evangeline Lilly, this skilled warrior and healer fights alongside the elf prince
Legolas (page 105), helping to defeat the evil orcs and their chieftain.
Tauriel’s look is a great visual representation of her character. The fishtail
and rope braids are ethereal elements that other elves incorporate, but hers
function to pull the hair backward and keep it out of her face for battle.
Further, the lace-braid design on top of her head resembles armor, hinting at
her fighting prowess.

1 or 2 small hair elastics
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1.Pick out a small section of hair right in front of each 2.Tie together the two braids at the
of the ears and clip it out of the way. Then make crown with a small hair elastic.
a lace braid on either side of the head that starts
just above the ear and ends at the top back of the
head. Add in hair to just the upper strands of the
lace braid and aim it toward the crown so that it
angles upward as you are forming it.
4.Now pick up a small section of hair

from right next to where the lace
braid started, and rope-braid this
section. Repeat this step on the other
side of the head.
3.Undo any lace braiding below the tie, then
make a fishtail braid. Temporarily secure
the end with a clip or elastic.
5.Tie these rope braids and the fishtail braid together

at the center of the back of the head, then undo any
braiding below this tie.
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{ Behind the Scenes
Game of Thrones lead stylist Kevin Alexander shared tips about how he creates beautiful and spiraling loose
curls on the women in the series. First, he treats the hair with Wella setting products and then wraps it
around a Cloud Nine curling wand. After that, the hair is held in position with clips overnight. Differences
in hair texture will affect how each head of hair responds to this treatment, but setting lotion and a long
setting time will really help pretty much everyone get lasting curls!
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Inspired by
GAME OF THRONES
Cersei Lannister
Skillfully played by the Emmy-nominated English actress Lena Headey,

Cersei Lannister is the Game of Thrones character everyone loves to hate.
Despite showing a tender side toward her children and their father (her
handsome brother Jamie), this Queen of the Seven Kingdoms is merciless
and vengeful on her quest for the Iron Throne. Sansa Stark (page 129) and
Margaery Tyrell (page 99) can attest to this!
The style shown here is from early in the show, when she has a full head
of golden locks. The braid bun and rope braid elements are very in fashion
with the way high-born women wore their hair in southern Westeros.

Hair clips
Bobby pins
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1.Make a center part, then pick up a small 2.Pick up another small section of hair on
amount of hair on either side of the part at each side of the head and rope-braid
the forehead. Rope-braid these sections and these as well, securing them with small
secure the ends with small hair elastics. elastics. Make sure to leave out a bit of
hair along the hairline to hang in front of
the ears.
3.Now gather up the hair at the top of the back 4.English-braid the left half and secure the
of the head so that you’re holding about half ends with a small hair elastic.
of the remaining free hair. Divide this into left
and right halves. Clip the left half out of the
way for now, then rope-braid the right half
and secure it with a small elastic.
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5.Coil up the large rope braid into a bun at the top 6.Make a third tier of small rope braids, starting
center of the back of the head, pinning it in place. behind the ears. Secure them with small elastics.
7.Wrap the six small rope braids around the large 8.Finally, pin the English braid around the bun.
rope-braid bun, pinning them in place. Make sure
to tuck the ends of each braid underneath the bun
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Inspired by
THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES
Eretria
Eretria, played by the Spanish actress Ivana Baquero, begins the first season
of The Shannara Chronicles as a Rover—a nomadic people who sometimes
thieved or worked as mercenaries to survive. On her first solo thieving
mission, she encounters the half-human/half-elf Wil and the elven princess
Amberle, and after a tug-of-war over Elfstones, they team up to protect the
Four Worlds from demons escaping from their place of banishment: the
ancient tree, Ellcrys.
This style is Eretria’s eye-catching side-braid look.

TIME: 30 minutes Hair clips Colorful thread
2 small hair elastics Blunt needle
2 small, clear hair elastics Feather extensions
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1.Make a C-shaped part from one corner of 2.Section off a strip of hair on the side
the forehead down to the neck (as if you of the head that runs two-thirds of the
were sectioning off hair for a side shave). way along the C-shaped part and is
Clip or tie the larger section of hair out of about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. Tightly twist
the way; you won’t be using it. this section. Clip it up for now so that
it doesn’t unravel. With the remaining
one-third of hair along the part, make a
second twist and clip it for now.
Hair Tip
If it’s too difficult to keep the twists in step 2 in place, braid this hair into two lace-
rope braids instead, so that they hold together better.
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3.Horizontally divide the remaining hair in half. 4.Make another Dutch braid with the
Dutch-braid the top section to the ends and remaining hair, and secure it with a small
secure it with a small hair elastic. hair elastic.
5.With the thread and blunt needle, sew

the thread around the first twist all the
way to the ends of the hair, twisting the
hair as you go. Secure the ends with a
small, clear hair elastic to hold it all in
place. Now wrap up the second twist
with more thread and secure it with
another elastic. Lastly, pin some feather
extensions underneath the second twist
so that they hang among the braids.
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Hair Tip
If you’re short on hair length or time, you can simply cover

the hair rolls with hair extensions, pin them to your head, and
use your real hair just for the rope braids.
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Inspired by
GAME OF THRONES
Sansa Stark
Every character in Game of Thrones has to figure out a way to survive the dangerous
politics of Westeros—or perish. Sansa Stark, played by English actress Sophie
Turner, practices the subtle art of blending in, always shifting her look in order to fit
into each new environment she encounters. For example, at the very beginning of
the show, she wears lace and French braids on top of her head, in the Northern style.
Once in King’s Landing, however, she adopts this elaborate eighteenth century–
inspired padded style common to the Southern ladies.

TIME: 40 minutes Hair clips Blunt needle and thick white thread
3 hair rolls Several small hair elastics
Bobby pins Jeweled hair decoration
Comb Extensions (optional)
Hairspray
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1.Make a section of hair a few inches wide, 2.Wrap the ends of this second section around
reaching from ear to ear over the top of a hair roll that is long enough to reach ear to
the head like a headband. Make another ear over the top of the head. (I’m using foam
section just like this one directly behind it, hair donuts that have been cut into tubes
wide enough to reach about to the crown and sewn together to get the correct length.)
of the head. Clip each section for now. Tightly roll up this section of hair.
3.Slide the hair outward to cover the entire 4.With a blunt needle, sew some thick white
hair roll, and then pin it down to the head. thread around this roll.
Gently smooth the hair on the roll with a
comb and hairspray.
5.Next, roll up the first section by the forehead. 6.For the last roll, pick up a small section at the
This roll should be a little shorter than the crown and roll it up. Pin it directly behind the
first. Again, roll it tight, slide the hair to cover big roll on top of the head.
the whole roll, pin it in place, and use a comb
and hairspray to make it smooth.
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7.Make two rope braids on either side of this 8.Pin these rope braids around the ends of
small roll. the rolls and in front of the front roll.
9.Make two more rope braids, one behind 10.Make two more rope braids, this time at
each ear. Cross them at the back of the the corners of the back hairline. Cross
head. Drape them over all the rolls and pin these braids at the back as well, drape
down in front of the first roll. over the rolls, and pin in front. If the hair
isn’t long enough to make the braids
reach all the way over the rolls, you can
pin them in between the two top rolls
or behind the largest roll.
11.Divide the last of the hair in two and cross

these sections. Rope-braid each of these
sections and let the rope braids hang over
each shoulder. Finish the style by placing
the jeweled hair decoration in front of the
first roll, centered at the top of the head like
a small tiara.
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CHAPTER 6
Sci-Fi Heroines
S
cience fiction is all about the strange and imaginative stories that explore the
furthest reaches of possibility. In this chapter, you will learn to make hairstyles
from many popular and highly regarded shows and movies that epitomize the sci-fi
aesthetic, where outer space and post-apocalyptic wastelands are frequent backdrops for
all kinds of heroics. “In a galaxy far, far away,” the Star Wars trilogy of trilogies (original,
prequel, and sequel) features some of the most badass heroines in the history of sci-fi
cinema, including Leia Organa, Padmé Amidala, and Rey, as they battle the “dark side” of
the Force. Star Trek: The Next Generation, which aired from 1987 to 1994, follows the crew
of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), including the half-Betazoid lieutenant commander
Deanna Troi, as they “boldly go where no one has gone before.” Back on Earth, a Wild
West–themed amusement park is the setting of Westworld, where humans pay big bucks to
interact with android hosts such as the beautiful Mariposa Saloon madam Maeve Millay.
Based on the YA book series by Kass Morgan, The 100 tracks the journey of one hundred
teenage prisoners, including Octavia Blake, who are packed off to post-apocalyptic planet
Earth to get a sense of its (in)habitability. Youths are also sacrificed—in this case, fighting
to their deaths—in The Hunger Games series, based on the bestselling YA book trilogy by
Suzanne Collins. Among them is Katniss Everdeen, whose heroics make her an instant
celebrity, and with assistance from the documentary filmmaker Cressida, a spokeswoman
for the rebellion against the Capitol. Moving from a dystopia to a galaxy with a jammin’
1970s soundtrack, Guardians of the Galaxy follows a ragtag group of misfits, including the
green-skinned Zen-Whoberin assassin Gamora, who sets out to save the universe. Proof 1

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Inspired by
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
Rey
The protagonist of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Rey, played by the English
actress Daisy Ridley, is strong, independent, and Force-sensitive. Growing up
as an orphan on the desert planet Jakku, Rey supports herself by scavenging
parts from old spaceships and tinkering with them. After she escapes from
Jakku by piloting the Millennium Falcon, she is thrust into a much larger
conflict between the Resistance, led by General Leia Organa (page 145), and
the sinister First Order.
Rey’s hairstyle in these movies is easy to recreate and ideal for anyone
whose hair is not quite long enough for more elaborate braided styles.

Bobby pins
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1.Gather the hair at the forehead into a little 2.Now gather the hair on top of the head into a
ponytail and secure it with a small hair ponytail. On the last loop of securing the hair
elastic. If you have bangs, include this hair elastic, don’t pull the hair all the way through.
in the ponytail. Leave the ponytail as a club instead. To deal
with the remaining tail of hair, wrap it around
the ponytail holder and pin it in place.
3.With half of the remaining hair, form a 4.Form a third club in the same way with the
second club right below the first one, remaining hair.
finishing it as in step 2.
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Inspired by
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Gamora
This alien and former assassin is ready to make amends. Gamora, played by
American actress Zoe Saldana, was originally a cold-blooded killer raised
to be the ultimate weapon by the evil Thanos. To exact her revenge on
Thanos for killing her family and making her this way, she teams up with
the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy in their quest to destroy the fanatical
supervillain Ronan.
Being a badass warrior, Gamora doesn’t have time for an elaborate
hairstyle, so this simple style is great for those who want to add just a bit of
attitude to their everyday look.

TIME: 5 minutes Hairspray or texture spray
Hair beads
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1.Grab a large section of hair from either side of 2.Gently tug on small bits of hair in the twists
the head. Spray each section with hairspray or to fluff them out.
texture spray to give the hair more grip. Then
twist these sections backward and secure with
a small hair elastic at the back of the head.
3.On one side of the head, pick up a small 4.Add a couple of hair beads along the
section of hair from the lower back hairline. length of the braid.
English-braid this hair to the ends and secure
with a small hair elastic.
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Inspired by
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY
Cressida
Played by English actress Natalie Dormer, Cressida joins Katniss and the
rebellion in the third The Hunger Games movie. Her charge is to film the
atrocities committed by Capitol forces in the poorer districts in order
to erode President Snow’s popular support. Cressida rocks a completely
side-shaven style, with a little French braid running along the edge of the
remaining hair, but you can still approximate her look without taking an
electric clipper to one side of your head.

TIME: 10 minutes Rattail comb
Hair clips (optional)
Pomade (optional)
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Hair Tip
In the movie, this style is actually created using a French braid, but a Dutch braid helps us
pull the side hair tight to get the faux–side shave look, while allowing the braid to stand
out more. If you already have a shaved side, lucky you! Just make a thin French braid that
runs all the way from your forehead to your neck along the edge of your hair.
1.Make a part with the pointy end of the 2.Make a thin Dutch braid, about ⁄ inch (13 1
2
comb that starts on the left side of the mm) wide, along the part with hair from
forehead, runs to the back of the head, the smaller section. Keep braiding until
continues down the back, and ends at the you reach the back of the head.
neck. Clip or tie the larger section of hair
out of the way.
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3.Start adding in very small horizontal sections 4.Keep weaving these new hair sections into the
of hair to the Dutch braid from the side of the left strand of the Dutch braid as you form it
head. Pull these sections tightly into the braid down the back of the head; make sure you’re
to hold the hair completely flat against the adding a little bit of hair to the right strand as
head, using pomade or the comb, if needed, to well so that the braid stays anchored in place
smooth the hair against the scalp. next to the part.
5.When there’s no more hair to add into the braid

from the side of the head, finish the braid to the
ends. Secure it with a small hair elastic.
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Hair Tip
Unless your hair is long and thick

already, you may want use extensions
to recreate this style. In reality, Leia’s
massive buns and braids were achieved
with a lot of hair extensions that went
down to her hips, and styling all this
hair could take up to two hours!
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Inspired by
STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Leia Organa
Leia may be only a princess in Star Wars, but she is the undisputed queen of
sci-fi hairstyles! This 4-foot-11 badass babe, played by the American legend
Carrie Fisher, appears in both the original trilogy (as a spy for the Rebel
Alliance) and the sequel trilogy (as the general of the Resistance). Raised
by Senator Bail and Queen Breha Organa on the planet of Alderaan, she
fights alongside her twin brother, Luke Skywalker, and her smuggler-turned-
husband, Han Solo, using Force sensitivity to defeat the Galactic Empire and
destroy the cataclysmic Death Star.
Leia has many iconic hairstyles through the series, but this is perhaps one
of the most wearable and practical.

Bobby pins
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1.Starting at one ear, make a Dutch lace braid that 2.When you reach the other ear, stop
goes over the top and down the other side of the adding in new hair, English-braid it to
head, like a headband. Incorporate hair from the the ends, and secure with a small hair
forehead into one side of this braid. elastic.
3.With the remaining hair, make a Dutch lace braid 4.Pin both braids along each other into
across the lower back of the head. Start directly a circular shape. When you get to
behind the ear where you ended the first braid, the ends of the braids, tuck the tails
and form this braid in the opposite direction. underneath the circle to hide them,
When there’s no more hair to add in, English-braid then pin them in place.
it to the ends and secure with a small hair elastic.
{ Behind the Scenes

In interviews and books, Carrie Fisher suggested that she was not the biggest fan
of her hairdos—the iconic hair donuts were supposedly heavy and painful, and
she referred to her updo in The Force Awakens as “the baboon butt.”
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Inspired by
WESTWORLD
Maeve Mill ay
As an android brothel madam in the Westworld theme park, Maeve, played

by the African-English actress Thandie Newton, is the first host to become
self-aware. The cunning robot then repeatedly commits suicide so she can
return to Livestock Management—not only so she can learn more about the
system controlling her, but also to remember her past.
This hairstyle is the look she wears while in full madam getup in the
Mariposa Saloon.

TIME: 15 minutes 1 large hair elastic Bobby pins
Hair donut Feather or flower hair accessory
2 small hair elastics Extensions (optional)
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1.Tie all the hair into a very high ponytail 2.English-braid both halves of the ponytail
with a large hair elastic. Fit the hair donut to the ends and secure with small hair
over the ponytail, then vertically split the elastics.
ponytail in half.
Hair Tip
Short or fine hair? Make a normal

3.Pin one of these braids into a circle on bun with all your hair, and then
top of the hair donut. Pin the bottom braid pin some braids made out of hair
around the outside of the donut. With
extensions around the bun.
both of these braids pinned, the donut
should be completely hidden and the style
should look like a large braid bun. Finish
with a feather or flower hair accessory
attached to the back of the bun.
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Inspired by
STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE SITH
Padmé Amidal a
The protagonist in the prequel trilogy, Padmé Amidala Naberrie, played by

the Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman, is elected Queen of Naboo when
she is just fourteen years old. Later on, after her reign, she becomes a member
of the Galactic Senate and continues her fight for peace and democracy.
Perhaps her greatest gift to the galaxy, however, is the birth of twins Luke
Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa (page 145), following her covert marriage
to the Jedi-turned–Sith Lord Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader).
Padmé wears this hairstyle on Mustafar during her last-ditch effort to
persuade Anakin to turn away from the dark side.

Bobby pins
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1.Horizontally divide the hair in half. Clip up the 2.Take down the hair you clipped up and
top half for now. English-braid the lower half vertically divide it in half. Rope-braid each half
and secure it with a small hair elastic. of hair and secure it with small hair elastics.
Hair Tip
Again, Star Wars uses a lot of

hair! Add extensions to get the
thickness of Padmé’s style.
3.Pin these rope braids into circular buns at the

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top of the English braid. Make sure the buns

are touching each other.
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Inspired by
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY
Katniss Everdeen
When Primrose Everdeen is chosen to represent District 12 as its female

tribute in the 74th Hunger Games, her older sister, Katniss, volunteers to
go in her place. Katniss, played by the American actress Jennifer Lawrence,
only ever intended to save her sister, but she ends up winning the Hunger
Games and becoming the symbol of hope in a rebellion that erupts
throughout the districts.
This hairstyle is the side-braid look Katniss wears in the third movie,
when she has become the Mockingjay and is set to battle against the
Capitol’s forces.

TIME: 15 minutes 1 or 2 small hair elastics
Hair clips
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1.Make a French braid along one side of the 2.Start another French braid on the other
head, leaving out any bangs. Keep this braid side of the head. Form this one along that
along just the side of the head, adding in no side, and then continue along the lower
more than half the hair. Stop braiding once you back of the head so that it ends next to the
reach the lower back of the head and secure the first one.
braid with a small hair elastic or clip for now.
{ Behind the Scenes

In The Hunger Games, hairstyling should be
an afterthought for those living in the poorer
communities outside of the Capitol, but the
movie hairstylists had to put in quite a bit of
effort to achieve Katniss’s look. In the first two
movies, her messy Dutch braid was achieved
by curling the hair at the roots to give it texture
and volume, and then twisting pieces of hair
before adding them to the braid. In Mockingjay,
Jennifer Lawrence had to wear a full wig because 3.Untie the ends of the first braid and blend
her own hair wasn’t dark or long enough. them with the ends of the second braid.
Fishtail-braid this hair to the ends and
secure with a hair elastic.
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Inspired by
THE 100
Octavia Bl ake
Born as an illegal second child on the space station The Ark, Octavia, played
by the Canadian actress Marie Avgeropoulos, grew up always having to stay
hidden. After she is found and imprisoned, she is chosen to accompany
the other teens sent to Earth’s nuclear wasteland, where she demonstrates a
natural ferocity and ultimately bonds with the native Grounder warriors.
Octavia dons this braided style after she has joined the Grounders.

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1.Section off the hair on top of the head 2.On one side of the head, horizontally
and clip it out of the way for now. divide the hair in half. Dutch-braid the top
section of hair until you reach the back of
the head, then English-braid it to the ends
and secure it with a small hair elastic. Make
another Dutch braid below this one with the
remaining hair, finishing it with an English
braid and securing it with a small hair elastic.
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3.On the other side of the head, horizontally 4.Make a French fishtail braid with the section
divide the hair in half. Dutch-braid the top of hair on top of the head. Stop adding in
section, but stop braiding about halfway hair when you reach the crown, then finish
to the back of the head. Clip up the rest of the braid to the ends as a normal fishtail.
the hair from this top section, then finish Secure with a small hair elastic. Fluff the
the Dutch braid with hair from the lower braid to give it more volume and messiness.
half. Start the second Dutch braid below
the first one with the remaining lower half
of hair. When you get halfway to the back
of the head, start braiding in the hair in
the remaining top section of hair that you
clipped out of the way. This makes the
braids cross in the middle. English-braid
each of them to the ends and secure with
small hair elastics.
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Inspired by
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATIOn
Deanna Troi
USS Enterprise lieutenant commander and counselor Deanna Troi, played by

the English actress Marina Sirtis, is a natural empath, which comes in handy
when the crew comes into contact with other species. Being half Betazoid
lends her extrasensory abilities as well. As a half-human lie detector, her
insight proves invaluable in many tense encounters and leads her to discover
that an alien force invaded the minds of crew members as they transported
two enemy alien species—the Anticans and the Selay—to the planet
Parliament.
This extravagant bun-and-braids style appears throughout season one. I
have no idea who on the ship was willing to style her hair like this every day,
but we’re going to attempt it now!

TIME: 40 minutes 1 large hair elastic 4 small hair elastics
2 hair donuts 2 strings of beads,
Bobby pins each one about as
long as the hair
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1.Gather a circle of hair at the crown (about half 2.Fit two hair donuts over the ponytail.
the hair), and tie it into a high ponytail with a
large hair elastic.
3.With pins and hairspray, smooth the hair from 4.Brush forward and tease both the hair in
the ponytail around the donuts to completely front of the circular ponytail section and
cover them. the hair on the sides of the head.
Hair Tip
If your hair isn’t long enough for these braids to reach very far, braid some small
sections of loose hair extensions and pin these to the head instead.
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5.Now smooth the teased hair back toward the 6.Divide the remaining hair at the back of the
bun. Pin it against the bun and further smooth head into four equal sections. English-braid
and spray the hair around the bun to keep the each section, directing the braids upward.
donuts covered. Secure the braids with small hair elastics.
7.Line up a string of beads with one of the 8.Line up another string of beads with another
braids, and pin both of these around the braid, and drape it toward the front of the
base of the bun. head. Make a loop with this braid and bead
string, securing it with pins on top of the
center part, near the forehead. Pin the rest of
the braid tail and beads around the base of
the bun.
9.Cross the remaining two braids at the back of

the head. Spiral them upward around the bun,
pinning them in place. Tuck the ends down
into the donut hole at the top of the bun. Proof 1
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CHAPTER 7
Animated
Adventurists
I
n this chapter, we will leave the land of “real hair” entirely and recreate styles from the
animated television series Sailor Moon and Avatar: The Last Airbender, the animated
movie series How to Train Your Dragon, and the video game franchises The Legend of
Zelda, Assassin’s Creed, Final Fantasy, and Horizon Zero Dawn. The Japanese anime series
Sailor Moon, which originally aired in Japan from 1992 to 1997, follows Usagi Tsukino
(aka Sailor Moon) and the other Sailor Senshi (Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus) as
they defend Earth from evil. In the thirteenth installment of Nintendo’s three-decade-
old Legend of Zelda series, Hyrule crown princess Zelda makes the ultimate sacrifice in
order to rescue her kingdom from the Twilight. In the Emmy-nominated Avatar: The Last
Airbender, Katara teaches the protagonist Aang the art of Waterbending as they prepare to
invade the Fire Nation and restore peace to all nations. Astrid Hofferson and her Black
Nadder dragon Stormfly are a force to be reckoned with in DreamWorks’ How to Train Your
Dragon series. In the latest of Square Enix’s fifteen Final Fantasy games, Tenebrae princess
Lunafreya Nox Fleuret is instrumental in saving the world from a plague of darkness.
Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Syndicate takes the age-old fight between the Assassins and the
Templars to the streets of Victorian London, where Evie Frye and her twin brother attempt
to outfox the Blighters. Finally, in Horizon Zero Dawn, warrior and outcast Aloy is called to
save the world, including the people who shunned her, from corrupted machines.
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Inspired by
SAILOR MOON
Usagi Tsukino
When this sailor-suited teen rescues a black cat with a crescent moon on its
forehead, she doesn’t realize that she will be enlisted to save Earth from the
Dark Enemy. After a magic brooch transforms her into Sailor Moon, she
joins forces with the Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Mask, fighting the villainous
Queen Beryl, Dead Moon Circus, and countless other antagonists as they
seek out the legendary Silver Crystal.
Because anime stories are often hand-drawn, the characters have
relatively simple hairstyles, so this style is quite easy to recreate with real hair.
Lucky us!

TIME: 5 minutes 2 large hair elastics
Bobby pins
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1.Make a center part and vertically 2.Vertically divide the hair of each ponytail in half.
divide the hair in half. Tie each half
into a high ponytail and secure
each with a large hair elastic.
{ Did You Know?

This double bun style is so iconic,
it has its own name: space buns!
3.Coil half of the hair in each ponytail into a bun
on top of the other half and pin it in place. Let
the remaining half of the hair hang free.
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Inspired by
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS
Zelda
In The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Zelda’s kingdom of Hyrule has
been taken over by the King of Twilight, and all the inhabitants have turned
into wandering spirits. To help save the world, she recruits Link from Ordon
Village to revive the Light Spirits and defeat the evil king. Then she does
the ultimate selfless act, sacrificing her life and power in order to revive the
Twilight creature Midna, who is helping Link on his quest.

2 small, clear hair elastics
Thread, about twice as long as the hair
Tiara
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1.Make a center part, then pick out two small 2.Now tie the rest of the hair into a loose
sections of hair on either side of the face. and low ponytail. Fishtail-braid the hair
Clip these out of the way for now. below this tie, and secure it with a small
hair elastic.
Hair Tip
It can be difficult to get thread to stay

on slippery hair. To keep it in place,
use clear hair elastics at the top and
bottom of the hair section, wrap the
thread around the hair between these
elastics, and then tuck the ends of the
thread into these elastics.
3.Wrap the sections of hair in front of the

ears with thread (see Hair Tip). Place the
tiara on the head to finish the look.
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Inspired by
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER
Katara
Teenaged Katara and her brother, Sokka, members of the Southern Water
Tribe, inadvertently discover a young boy named Aang frozen in a block
of ice. When they learn that he is the lost Avatar, they journey out into the
wider world to help Aang master all the element-bending arts and eventually
defeat tyrant Firelord Ozai.
For much of the first season, Katara dons this hairstyle, which features
her famous loopies!

TIME: 15 minutes Hair clips 1 large hair elastic
1 small hair elastic Topsy tail
4 hair beads Bobby pins
2 small, clear hair
elastics (optional)
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1.Horizontally divide the hair in half. Secure 2.Take two small sections of hair at the forehead
the top half on top of the head with a clip for on either side of a center part. Place one bead
now, then English-braid the bottom half to on each of these sections, making sure the
the ends and secure with a small hair elastic. beads stay at the roots of the hair. If you’re
having trouble keeping the beads in place, tie
small, clear hair elastics in the hair first, then
slide the beads over them.
{ Behind the Scenes

The four nations in Avatar: The Last Airbender
are inspired by real-world cultures. People of
the Earth Kingdom often wear topknots, which
come from the Chinese and Korean male hair
tradition. Likewise, the women in the Fire
Nation wear hairstyles that are inspired by
formal Japanese and Korean styles. As for Water
Tribe member Katara and her hair loopies,
this look is an almost-exact replication of a
traditional style worn by Inuit women.
3.Tie the remaining hair into a ponytail, on top

of where the braid starts, and secure with a
large hair elastic.
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4.Using a topsy tail, flip the ponytail inside 5.Drape the front hair sections back and pin
out. Keep doing this motion, and eventually the ends into the sides of the bun.
the ponytail hair will all be wrapped around
the hair elastic and form a bun. Pin the ends
underneath the bun to hide them.
6.Pin two more beads into this bun where the

front sections join it by placing each bead
onto the crook of a bobby pin.
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Inspired by
ASSASSIN’S CREED
Evie Frye
It’s 1868 in the polluted city of London, and twin siblings Jacob and Evie Frye are
recruited by the British Brotherhood of Assassins to defeat a powerful Templar boss
named Starrick. Luckily Evie’s stealth and smarts are a good complement to Jacob’s
combat prowess as they encounter Templars and gangsters who are hell-bent on
thwarting their mission. Evie needs a clear view as she leaps from buildings and
wrestles with evil henchmen, so this braided updo is a practical look that keeps hair
neatly and stylishly away from the face.

Bobby pins
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1.Make a slight side part. On one side of the 2.Join these Dutch braids together at
head, make a Dutch braid, starting at the the center of the back of the head with
corner of the forehead and going backward. a large hair elastic. Undo the braiding
Stop adding in hair once you get past the below this elastic.
ears, then English-braid the hair to the ends.
Secure with a small hair elastic for now. Repeat
3.Gather up the remaining hair and twist it

tightly. Coil this twist into a bun, making
sure it covers the hair elastic holding the
braids together. Pin this bun in place with
bobby pins.
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Inspired by
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
Astrid Hofferson
This teenaged Viking dragon rider is known for her axe-wielding skills and her fierce
attitude. Now, with the help of her Black Nadder Stormfly, she must defend her
village and save the dragons of the world from the ruthless dragon-hunter Drago
Bludvist, who wants to control them all for his own ends. Why not do it in style?

TIME: 15 minutes 1 small hair elastic
Leather headband
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1.Make a deep side part. On the bigger side 2.Switch off between English-braiding and
of the part, gather up a section of hair, knot-braiding this section of hair—this means
leaving out any bangs. make an English braid for a little length of the
strands, then tie a knot with one of the strands
and start making an English braid again. Make
another knot, and so on. Do this for the whole
length of the section and secure it with the
small hair elastic.
3.Tie the leather headband across the 4.Now gather the remaining hair to the side
forehead, underneath the accent braid and of the head, where the accent braid is,
over the rest of the hair. and switch off between English-braiding
and knot-braiding this hair too. The accent
braid should be incorporated into this
braid as one of the strands. Secure the
ends with the large hair elastic.
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Inspired by
FINAL FANTASY
Lunafreya Nox Fleuret
Final Fantasy XV heroine Lunafreya is the former princess of Tenebrae and

the youngest Oracle in history. Now it is up to her to stop the spread of the
Starscourge plague from plunging the world of Eos into eternal darkness and
being overrun by daemons. Will she succeed?
Most Final Fantasy characters have the typical spiky anime hair that
doesn’t really work for real-world styling, but Luna’s braids and flipped
ponytail are easy to recreate.

TIME: 15 minutes Hair clips Bobby pins
1 large hair elastic 1 small, clear hair
Topsy tail (optional) elastic
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1.Make a center part. Leave out any bangs and 2.With a topsy tail or your fingers, flip this
part them on the side. On each side of the ponytail inside out so the tail sticks upward.
center part, gather a section of hair between
the forehead hair and the ear and clip it out
of the way. Tie the rest of hair back into a
ponytail in the center of the back of the head,
{
and secure it with a large hair elastic.
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3.With one of the sections of hair clipped out 4.Pin these two braids over the top of the
of the way, twist it back a bit, then English- head with bobby pins. Then secure each
braid it to the ends and clip them for now. of the braids with a small, clear hair elastic,
Repeat this step with the section of clipped positioning each elastic so that it is level with
hair on the other side of the head. the twisted part of the other braid. If there is
extra length to the tail of these braids, let it
hang freely behind the ears.
{ Did You Know?

Hair is notoriously difficult to animate. In early animated movies, most hairstyles look
like a solid blob of straight hair because of the challenge rendering millions of individual
hairs. When computer-generated imagery (CGI) arrived, however, the video game Final
Fantasy broke significant ground in animating hair where individual strands could
move independently. Nowadays, computers are powerful enough to render images and
movement patterns for hundreds of thousands of hairs at once. Moviemakers even run
complex physics simulations in order to make animated curly hair look realistic.
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Hair Tip
Aloy’s hair is very thick. To help achieve that volume,

try crimping your hair at the roots!
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Inspired by
HORIZON ZERO DAWN
Aloy
Aloy is the protagonist in the post-apocalyptic environment of Horizon Zero
Dawn, which is overrun by animal-like robots that have been corrupted by a
mysterious force. Cast out of the Nora tribe as a baby, Aloy later proves that
she is a kickass warrior who can go head-to-head with any adversary and win,
thanks in part to her superb archery skills and some “old-world” technology.
The hairstyles of the Nora tribe involve thick twists, dreads, and braids,
which Aloy shows off through the entire game.

Hair clips
Crimping iron (optional)
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1.Section off one-third of the hair on top of 2.Twist up another third of the hair on top
the head, running from front to back. Start of the head. Make sure to twist toward the
twisting this section, adding in more hair middle of the head. Clip this twist in back for
as you move backward. Secure with a small now. Twist up the last third of hair as well so
hair elastic at the crown. that all the hair on top of the head is twisted.
3.Cross the outer twists over the elastic 4.On both sides of the head, divide the hair in
holding the middle twist, then tie these twists two horizontally. Twist the first half of the top
together underneath the first elastic. Gently section.
tug on little bits of the twists to fluff them out.
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5.Halfway back, transition into making a 6.Make another twist on each side of the head
Dutch lace braid and incorporate the rest with the bottom halves of side hair, leaving
of the hair in this section. Stop adding in out a little bit of hair above the ears. Tie
hair when you reach the ponytail, and then these twists together at the back of the head
finish the braid to the ends, securing with underneath the braids and the ponytail.
a small hair elastic. Repeat with the twist
on the other side of the head.
7.Make small Dutch lace braids with the 8.Finally, make two more English braids from the
remaining hair above the ears. hair behind the head so that each one falls over
each shoulder.
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Acknowledgments
I would like to give a big thank you to everyone who made this book possible! Without you, there wouldn't
even be the inkling of an idea for this project. First, a shout out to everyone at Quarto for inviting me to
write this and for pulling this book together in a hurry, including the editorial staff (Melanie Madden,
Jeannine Dillon, Erin Canning, Heather Rodino) and the design team (Merideth Harte, Melissa Gerber).
Thank you to Fortuna Todisco for creating all the step-by-step illustrations, and Frank Hom for spending a
full four days with me taking photographs of all the different hairstyles in this book.
A special shout out goes to to all the models who let me do their hair: Ashlyn Madden, Anna Smirnova,
Dawn Desvigne, Andy Baptiste, Lucy Shen, Macrina Cooper-White, Maya Waeger, Kimi Beck, Kevin
Burke, and Jess Shropshire. You guys were amazing. Also, special thanks to Kate Marley for the awesome
makeup!
Last but not least, I would like to thank my Aunt Michelle, for teaching me to braid all those years ago;
my hair mentors and good friends Siobhan Retsina and Heather Eberly, whose guidance helped me develop
my styling enough to show it to you all; my parents for their unwavering support; and my boyfriend, Eli, for
all his patience and love.
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Proof 1

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First published in 2018 by Race Point, an imprint of The Quarto Group,

Editorial Director: Jeannine Dillon

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45 MAVERICK BRAIDS, BUNS,

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Chapter 3: Renaissance Royals .......... 57 The Lord of the Rings ..............................105

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Maeve Millay, Inspired by Westworld .........147 Acknowledgments .............................191

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Hairbrushes & Combs Hair Clips

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Rub pomade on your hands before

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Remember that heat is damaging to your hair,

dry in that position overnight.

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Atia of the Julii

SKILL LEVEL: Easy MATERIALS NEEDED:

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{ DID YOU KNOW?

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5.Wrap this rope braid around the base of the

in the ponytail and the hair hanging

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SPARTACUS: WAR OF THE DAMNED

SKILL LEVEL: Easy MATERIALS NEEDED:

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{ DID YOU KNOW?

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Gorgo Queen of Sparta

Played by the English actress Lena Headey, the character of Gorgo is

SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate MATERIALS NEEDED:

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If you don’t have enough hair to make

3.Bring all of the twists together at the center

length of string around them to hold them

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SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND

SKILL LEVEL: Advanced MATERIALS NEEDED:

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If your hair is too short to make

5.Wrap this rope braid around the base of the

3.Bring all of the twists together at the center

3.Bring the two outermost twists together

6.Gather up the ends of the center

6.Now gather all the hair, including the five-

3.Make a loop with the twist so that the loop